Method for mounting a tag in a tire sidewall

ABSTRACT

A pneumatic tire includes a tire body having a crown portion and a pair of sidewalls. At least one reinforcing belt is disposed in the crown portion of the tire. A tag is carried by the reinforcing belt. In one embodiment, the tag is disposed in the location of one of the reinforcing cords that is disposed in the reinforcing belt. In another embodiment, the tag is disposed at the splice of the reinforcing belt. An alternative version of the tire has the tag carried in a depression formed in the outer surface of the tire sidewall. The tag may be encapsulated with an encapsulation material that is also disposed in the depression.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation application of pending U.S.application Ser. No. 10/743,694 filed Dec. 22, 2003, which claimspriority from U.S. Provisional Patent application Ser. No. 60/436,057filed Dec. 23, 2002; the disclosures of both are incorporated herein byreference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Technical Field

The present invention generally relates to pneumatic tires and, moreparticularly, to a pneumatic tire in combination with a tire tag.Specifically, the present invention is related to how the tire tag ismounted to the pneumatic tire and the location of the mounting.

2. Background Information

Various types of tire tags in the nature of tire monitoring devices andtire identification devices are known in the art. Tire monitoringdevices may be configured to read temperature or pressure and store theinformation for later retrieval. These devices may also be configured totransmit the information from the tire to an outside reader. Tiremonitoring devices may use the information to trigger an alarm when thetemperature or pressure of the tire reaches a limit. Tire identificationdevices allow a tire to be identified through its manufacturing processand after the tire is placed into service. Tire monitoring andidentification devices may be passive or active depending on design anddesired functions.

One type of tire identification device known in the art is a tireidentification chip (tire ID chip). A tire ID chip stores a uniqueidentification number that may be read by an interrogation signal sentby a device that obtains the information from the tire ID chip. Tiremanufacturers wish to mount one tire ID chip into each tire manufacturedso that the tire may be tracked during the manufacturing process andduring use on vehicles.

Given the wide variety of monitoring and identification devices, a widevariety of mounting configurations also exist for these devices.Exemplary known mounting configurations include building the monitoringdevice into a tire sidewall, building the monitoring device into thebead filler, attaching the device with a patch to the tire sidewall,attaching the device directly to the innerliner with an adhesive,connecting the device to the rim that supports the tire, and mountingthe device to the valve stem of the wheel.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention provides a first configuration that mounts the tireidentification or tire monitoring device in one of the belts ofreinforcing cords positioned in the crown of the tire. Theidentification or monitoring device may take the place of one of thereinforcing cords, may be positioned between reinforcing cords, or maybe positioned at the splice that is used to form a loop out of thereinforcing cord ply.

The invention also provides an embodiment wherein the tireidentification or tire monitoring device is mounted in a depressionformed in the outer surface of the sidewall. The tire identification ortire monitoring device may be encapsulated with an encapsulationmaterial in the depression.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a section view of a pneumatic tire showing the first mountingconfiguration for the tire monitoring or tire identification device.

FIG. 2 is a top plan view, partially in section, of the tire crownshowing the tire tag mounted at the splice in the belt.

FIG. 3 is a section view taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 3A is a section view similar to FIG. 3 showing an alternatemounting configuration wherein the tire tag replaces one of thereinforcing cords of the belt.

FIG. 3B is a section view similar to FIG. 3 showing an alternativeembodiment wherein the tire tag is positioned between adjacentreinforcing cords in the belt.

FIG. 4 is a section view of a pneumatic tire showing the tire tagmounted in a second configuration.

FIG. 4A is an enlarged section view of the encircled portion of FIG. 4.

FIG. 5 is an elevation view of the tire showing the mounted tire tag.

Similar numbers refer to similar parts throughout the specification.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

A first embodiment of a tire and tire tag combination is indicatedgenerally by the numeral 100 in FIGS. 1-3. Combination 100 generallyincludes a tire 102 and a tag 104 that is mounted to tire 102. Tag 104may be an identification device or a monitoring device. In theembodiment of tag 104 shown in the drawings, tag 104 has a central body106 with wires 108 extending from opposed sides of body 106. Body 106may include any of a variety of elements that are used to store andpresent information about tire 102 to a reader (not shown) that requeststhe information.

In the first mounting configuration, tag 104 is built into one of thereinforcing belts 110 disposed in the crown of tire 102. Eachreinforcing belt 110 includes a plurality of reinforcing cords 112disposed adjacent each other. Each reinforcing cord 112 is encased in arubber material 114 or other suitable materials. Each belt 110 iswrapped circumferentially around tire 102 with the ends of belt 110being joined at a splice 116. Splice 116 is generally parallel to wires112. In the first mounting configuration, tag 104 is located at splice116 in order to create a built-in mounting location for tag 104. Tag 104may be embedded in the adhesive of splice 116. Tag 104 may be built intothe outermost belt 110 in order to improve readability and to decreaseits exposure to the curing heat used to attach belt 110 to the body oftire 102. The location also protects tag 104 from tire bending forcesduring tire shaping.

Tag 104 may be built into splice 116 when splice 116 is formed. In thealternative, tag 104 may be prebuilt into ply 110 at splice 116 or atanother suitable location. For instance, in another embodiment of theinvention, tag 104 replaces one of reinforcing cords 112 as shown inFIG. 3A. In FIG. 3B, tag 104 is positioned between adjacent reinforcingcords 112. These locations have the benefit of protecting tag 104 fromcuring heat, protecting tag 104 during tire shaping, and placing tiretag 104 in a location where there is less interference with other tirestructures. This location also places tag 104 in a location where itdoes not protrude from an internal or external surface of tire 102. Thelocation also does not rely on adhesive for durability of the connectionbetween tag 104 and tire 102. Adjacent belts may use suitable mechanismsin opposed locations to tag 104 for tire uniformity.

The second embodiment of the tire and tag combination is indicatedgenerally by the numeral 200 in FIGS. 4-5. Combination 200 generallyincludes a pneumatic tire 202 and a tag 104 that is mounted to one ofthe sidewalls 206 of tire 202. Tag 104 is mounted to sidewall 206 in alocation that is adapted to be above the rim 208 when tire 202 ismounted to rim 208. In one embodiment, tag 104 may be mountedimmediately above rim 208 where the sidewall is thicker and flexes less.This area is identified by numeral 209 in FIG. 4.

Tag 104 is disposed in a cavity 210 defined by sidewall 206. Cavity 210has sufficient dimensions to receive the entire body of tag 104 withadditional room for an encapsulation material 212. In thisspecification, encapsulation material 212 may be any of a wide varietyof materials that will adhere to tire 202 in order to help secure tag104 to tire sidewall 206. A variety of known adhesives or repaircompounds/materials may be used as encapsulation material 212.Encapsulation material 212 may be a rigid material or a relativelyflexible material. One exemplary rigid encapsulation material is anepoxy that prevents the elements of tag 104 from flexing with respect toeach other during tire use.

This embodiment allows tag 104 to be installed after tire 202 isfabricated and cured. The embodiment also allows tag 104 to beselectively placed in tire 202. This mounting position does not exposetag 104 to curing heat and prevents tag 104 from extending above theprofile of sidewall 206. The embodiment also allows for removal andreplacement of tag 104 depending on the type of encapsulation material212 used.

In the foregoing description, certain terms have been used for brevity,clearness, and understanding. No unnecessary limitations are to beimplied therefrom beyond the requirement of the prior art because suchterms are used for descriptive purposes and are intended to be broadlyconstrued.

Moreover, the description and illustration of the invention is anexample and the invention is not limited to the exact details shown ordescribed.

1. A method for mounting a tag in the sidewall of a pneumatic tire; themethod comprising the steps of: (a) providing a pneumatic tire thatincludes a vulcanized tire body having a crown portion and a pair ofsidewalls; each of the sidewalls having a bead portion that is adaptedto be seated in the tire rim when the tire is mounted to the tire rim;each of the sidewalls having an inner surface and an outer surface; theinner surfaces of the sidewalls adapted to face the pressurizablechamber of the tire; one of the sidewalls defining a cavity that has anopening at the outer surface of the sidewall; (b) positioning a tag inthe cavity; and (c) encapsulating the tag with an encapsulation materialthat adheres the tag to the sidewall of the tire body.
 2. The method ofclaim 1, wherein step (c) includes the step of entirely surrounding thetag with the encapsulation material.
 3. The method of claim 2, furthercomprising the step of using a rigid encapsulation material in step (c).4. The method of claim 3, further comprising the step of using a rigidepoxy in step (c).
 5. The tire of claim 1, further comprising the stepof using a flexible encapsulation material in step (c).
 6. A method ofconnecting a tag to a tire; the method comprising the steps of: (a)providing a tire that having a vulcanized tire body having an outersurface; the tire body defining a cavity having an opening at the outersurface of the tire body; and (b) encapsulating a tag in the cavity ofwith an encapsulation material that secures the tag to the vulcanizedtire body.
 7. The method of claim 6, wherein step (b) includes the stepof entirely surrounding the tag with the encapsulation material.
 8. Themethod of claim 7, further comprising the step of using a rigidencapsulation material in step (b).
 9. The method of claim 8, furthercomprising the step of using a rigid epoxy in step (b).
 10. The tire ofclaim 6, further comprising the step of using a flexible encapsulationmaterial in step (b).
 11. A method of connecting a tag to a vulcanizedbody; the method comprising the steps of: (a) providing a vulcanizedbody having an outer surface; the tire body defining a cavity having anopening at the outer surface of the tire body; and (b) encapsulating atag in the cavity of with an encapsulation material that secures the tagto the vulcanized tire body.
 12. The method of claim 11, wherein step(b) includes the step of entirely surrounding the tag with theencapsulation material.
 13. The method of claim 12, further comprisingthe step of using a rigid encapsulation material in step (b).
 14. Themethod of claim 13, further comprising the step of using a rigid epoxyin step (b).
 15. The tire of claim 11, further comprising the step ofusing a flexible encapsulation material in step (b).